(2023-10-30) On EDC, one of the greatest fads of our time and place
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Maybe I'm getting too old and/or too wise to understand what's really going
on, but I just don't seem to get it. Since when did fashion trends start 
dominating the everyday carry items market? Not even in terms of how they 
look, but in terms of what should be paired with what... And yes, by color, 
weight and other totally irrelevant BS. As if we are talking about some 
haute couture and not friggin' tools. Yes, this is yet another post about 
material goods, but I always thought EDC was philosophy-first.

Apparently, I'm the only one left who still thinks that way. Others on teh
internets gladly spend tons of money on pretty useless titanium knives, 
Knipex pliers, "special" pocket gear pouches, tacticool pens and other 
nonsense to show off and honestly never use IRL anymore. I must be from a 
different planet as my EDC (when I'm outside of the house) usually consists 
of a watch, two phones, two Victorinox SAKs (usually, that's Spartan + 
Rambler), a wallet (that also has a SwissCard and a cardphone with a 
backup/emergency SIM), a keyholder (with a Nitecore Tiki flashlight and a 
Rodenstock microdriver on it), a lighter (usually Bic but sometimes Zippo 
205) and a pocket notebook with a pen attached to it (nowadays it's one of 
the Parker Jotters, but I'm gonna have a slight update on this soon). When 
appropriate, sunglasses also are added. And that's it. And even this I 
consider a bit excessive from time to time. Inside the house I'm now living 
in or its territory, I only move around with the phones (although sometimes 
I omit them too), the notebook + pen combo, a pocket flashlight (usually 
Brennenstuhl PL 200 A) and the Victorinox Rambler, and, obviously, with the 
watch I'm wearing 24/7 anyway. Optionally, either wired (JBL T205) or 
wireless (Aftershokz Aeropex) headphones are also added to this setup from 
time to time, although this is something I'm still deciding upon.

I'm writing all this not to boast about my gear, but to emphasize on the fact
I'm fully satisfied with it. I know that most, if not all, of these things 
are going to last me for a very long time. And my set of tools still is 
quite redundant in some areas, which I don't mind for now but am ready to 
drop if deemed necessary. So, for all the EDC boasters on the YouTube, I'm 
not even a potential buyer. I've already bought all I needed long ago. If 
something gets lost or broken, I'll buy the same item (or a similar one if I 
can't find the same). E.g. if I lose my Rambler, I won't buy your $200 
ultralight knife from a brand no one knows the truth about, or the 
Leatherman you're trying so hard to sell, hell no, I'll buy another Rambler 
(maybe in black since they have started importing it here). Just because its 
Philips screwdriver is so damn useful that I have actually screwed more 
Philips screws with it than I had with a dedicated tool. Just because it's 
not trying to pretend to be anything it actually isn't.

As a wise man once said, "carry what you need and need what you carry". Don't
turn this thing into a fashion charade. Please.

--- Luxferre ---